By Ian Marker, Account Associate
“The best camera is the one you have with you.”
We all live in the digital age, whether we like it or not, and people are viewing more content per day than ever. To catch the attention of your audience, you’re going to need to help your photos stick out from the rest. Having a professional camera can help you stand out, but some of the best photo content on the internet was made using the camera you carry with you every day: your phone. If you’re looking to take some great new images to market your business digitally or you just want better pictures of family outings, these apps can help you take your phone photography to the next level.
There are thousands of camera apps on any given mobile app platform. These three are highly recommended and useful in almost any situation.
This powerful app is a one-stop shop for taking photos and editing. If you’ve ever used the desktop version of Adobe’s Lightroom, you’ll feel right at home. But even if you haven’t, it won’t take long
for you to edit great pictures in no time! The first reason to use this app instead of your usual go-to is that it does not compress the photo when taken. Your normal camera app will take a photo then immediately downsize it to save space on your device. Using Lightroom, you can utilize the full power of your camera which helps if you want to use a photo for print or blowing it up on a website. Use sparingly, however, if you’re concerned about your phone’s memory!
The beauty of this app is that once you take the photo, you’re able to directly edit with almost all the same tools the pros use. If you need help or inspiration for editing in the Lightroom app, search YouTube as they have plenty of tutorials and “how to” videos. I suggest using the very good “auto” button to make simple corrections and the crop tool for making everything straight. From there you can edit and add presets to your heart’s content!
Ever take a photo right before a storm or in the perfect golden hour light but you don’t quite capture the full value of what you saw with your eyes? Lens Distortions is a great app to add extra texture or mood to your photos for the extra little pop of interest we’re looking for. The goal is to make our photos memorable, right? Add a bit of lens flare to enhance your sunset photo or some raindroplets to emphasize how grey the day was. We aren’t cheating; we’re helping to tell the story!
VSCOThe VSCO app is an interesting one. Part photo editor and part social media, it’s much like Instagram (another fine photo editing option) but more fringe. What VSCO offers is a package of free photo presents that replicate the days of film photography. They offer a nice look if you’re trying to make your photo stand out and give it some old school style. One feature to be aware of is after you’ve picked your favorite filter, you can tap again to adjust the strength to make things blend a little better.
Whatever app you choose, there is one key thing to remember: you’re seeking to transport your audience to a moment in time and tell a story. What about your photo makes the audience feel what you’re talking about? Your phone is the most powerful camera you own because you take it everywhere. Using it to take great photos is a lot of fun and these apps allow you to take it to the next level.